Ash tray



2,426,52&

J. J. SEME ASH TRAY Aug. 26, 1947.

Filed Nov. 30, 1946 INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 26, 1947 ASHFTRAY, I John J. seme, Maple Heights, Ohio Application November 30, 1946, serial No. 713,291

4 Claims.

This invention relates in general to smokers ash trays and has for one of its primary objects to provide a convenient and compact device for simultaneously holding and supporting a plurality of cigarettes or cigars and a single manual member operable in opposite directions for selectively dumping the ashes or the butt of either or both of the cigarettes into the main body of a closed container.

With the fOIegoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter set forth in the following specification and appended claims, certain embodiments thereof being shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a view in perspective of the ash tray embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the same;

' Figure 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal section of the same; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in vertical transverse section through part of the housing,

showing the manual operating knob and its mounting.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the housing I is hollow to form an ash and butt receiving compartment 2. One end of the housing is slotted to receive a slidable closure door 3. On each of the two side walls of the housing are secured'a trough 4 to catch butts or ashes that may be inadvertently spilled over the edges of the housing.

The top of the housing has two spaced transverse openings. Adjacent one of these openings is a cup shaped member 5 pivotally connected to the housing at 6 and adjacent the other opening is a similar cup shaped member I pivotally connected at 8 to the housing. These two members 5 and 1 each extend transversely the width of the housing and form concave supports for cigarettes or cigars and their ashes. These cigarette supports 5 and I may also be long enough to support the full length of the cigarette or cigar, as may be desired. Support 5 has an eyelet 9 and support 1 has an eyelet ID on their bottom sides and through these two eyelets extend the two end portions of a spring II that is wound around a shank l2 having a retaining flange l9. Integral with shank I2 is a hub 13 with a top undercut portion l4, against the under portion of which the spring ll presses, and another undercut portion 15 which together with a pin l6 on the housing forms a limit stop for rotation of the shank. Connected to a reduced portion ll of the shank is a manual knurled knob l8.

Assume one or both of the supporting trough members 5 and l to be supporting a cigarette or cigar so that they are partially filled with ashes and it is desired to dump the same into the hollow housing. A manual turnin of the knob in a counterclockwise direction causes trough 5, through the spring ll fitting in eyelet 9, to rotate counterclockwise about its pivot 6 to dump the contents of trough 5 into the compartment 2 while the other trough 1 remains stationary. As knob I8 is rotated, itrotates hub I3 until its undercut portion [4 presses spring H forcing it in a counterclockwise rotation until undercut portion l5 of hub l3 abuts stop pin l6 which is the limit of the amount of rotation. Likewise, a turning of the knob in a clockwise direction rotates trough 1 clockwise to dump its contents while trough 5 remains stationary. The two stationary side troughs 4 receive any spillage of ashes or butts that may fall over the side edges.

From the foregoing, it will be readily seen that there has been provided a compact two element dump trough ash tray for accommodating two cigarettes or cigars and one in which a single manual knob is used for independently and selectively dumping the contents of either or both troughs. Moreover, the simplicity in design and construction also involves only a single spring element for normally retaining both troughs in operative supporting position.

I claim:

1. In an ash tray, a hollow housing to form an ash and butt receptacle, a pair of spaced cigarette supports each of which is pivotally connected to said housing to be swung inwardly for dumping ashes and butts into said receptacle, resilient means for normally maintaining said supports in supporting position, and a single manual means connected to said supports for selectively swinging each of said supports into dumping and supporting positions.

2. In an ash tray, a hollow housing to form an ash and butt receptacle, a pair of spaced cigarette supports each of which is pivotally connected to said housing to be swung inwardly for dumping ashes and butts into said receptacle, 2. single resilient means connected to said supports for normally maintaining said supports in' supporting position and a single manual means connected to said supports for selectively swinging each of said supports into dumping and supporting positions.

3. In an ash tray, a hollow housing to form 3 an ash and butt receptacle, a pair of spaced cigarette supports each of which is pivotally connected to said housing to be swung inwardly for dumping ashes and butts into said receptacle, resilient means for normally maintaining said supports in supporting position and a single manual means connected through said resilient means and rotatable in opposite directions to selectively move either of said supports into dumping position against the normal returning action of said 10 resilient means.

4. In an ash tray, a hollow housing to form an ash and butt receptacle, a pair of spaced cigarette supports each of which is pivotally con-,

nected to said housing to be swung inwardly for dumping ashes and butts into said receptacle, a single resilient means connected to said supports p 4 for normally maintaining said supports in supporting position and a single manual means connected through said resilient means and rotatable in opposite directions to selectively move either of said supports into dumping position against the normal returning action of said resilient means.

JOHN J. SElVIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,804,163 Herold May 5, 1931 2,072,706 Bower Mar. 2, 1937 

